Geno Smith’s Jaw-Dropping Fourth-Quarter Surge Lifts Seahawks—What It Means for the 2025 Playoff Race

Geno Smith’s first month with the Las Vegas Raiders has been anything but quiet. After arriving via offseason trade and signing a two-year extension, the 34-year-old quarterback entered camp as the unquestioned starter, yet a shaky supporting cast and a contract loaded with escape hatches have fast-tracked speculation about how long he will actually wear silver and black. A rocky start in Seattle homecoming Smith’s unofficial Raider debut ended in a 17-17 preseason draw at Lumen Field, where loud boos from Seahawks fans met their former Pro Bowler. Cameras later caught Smith and edge rusher Maxx Crosby flashing an obscene gesture toward the crowd, a clip that instantly went viral and underscored how thin the margin for error is for the veteran passer. Receiving corps raises red flags Behind closed doors, the bigger worry is on-field chemistry. During joint practices with the 49ers this week, only Jakobi Meyers consistently separated from press coverage, prompting beat writer Tashan Reed to label the rest of the wide-out room “jammed up at the line”. Rookie burner Dont’e Thornton and second-year slot man Tre Tucker flashed late, but coaches privately admit they are banking on elite rookie tight end Brock Bowers to be Smith’s top target until help arrives. Contract offers team-friendly escape Las Vegas structured Smith’s deal so that guaranteed money disappears after the 2026 league year, meaning the club can move on with minimal cap pain if 2025 falters. That clause, combined with Smith turning 35 in October, has front-office scouts already studying the 2026 quarterback class. Draft buzz grows louder Bleacher Report’s early mock sends South Carolina dual-threat LaNorris Sellers to the Raiders at No. 8, framing Smith as a one-year bridge who could mentor a rookie before the franchise hits the eject button in 2027. Internally, decision-makers insist they are “all-in” on the present, but league sources counter that owner Mark Davis has instructed GM Champ Kelly to keep every future option on the table. What Smith must prove in Week 2 Friday’s preseason tilt against the 49ers now carries added weight. Coaches want to see quicker processing, a higher completion rate on intermediate outs, and—perhaps most important—leadership that settles a young locker room suddenly under the microscope. A crisp showing would quiet draft chatter; another ragged outing could amplify calls for reinforcements before Week 1 at New England. Bottom line Geno Smith controls the narrative—for now. Delivering wins behind a thin receiver group may be the toughest assignment of his career, but doing so is the only way to turn a short-term audition into a long-term stay in Las Vegas.